JP5593016B2 - Prioritizing application component distribution - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to application component distribution, and more specifically to setting priority of application component distribution.

  Application component distribution involves the transfer of program logic from a source data store to a destination data store. Many years ago, application component distribution generally involved copying one or more program files from removable media to persistent storage in the destination network domain. However, with the advent of global computing that has been facilitated by the growth of the Internet, application component distribution has facilitated the electronic transfer of separate parts of applications to destination data stores over several data communication networks. Often accompanied.

  The application component distribution clearly anticipates the distribution of previously uninstalled application components. In particular, application component distribution also anticipates upgrading and patching of previous installations. In primitive forms of upgrading and patching, end users retrieve specified portions of application logic from a centralized data store. While it can be advantageous from both the software distributor and end user perspective to impose the burden of upgrading and patching in many situations, in many situations the end of the upgrade and patching process can be It is not wise to rely on the user. Especially in modern enterprises, the application component distribution process is best left to the information engineer.

  In this regard, application component distribution remains an important aspect of information technology management. During the application life cycle, some events can result in the upgrade or patching of one or more application components. Examples include application improvements and modifications. More recently, design defects and code malfunctions or malfunctions require application patching. In many cases, design flaws have important security implications that require rapid resolution. In other situations, a malfunctioning or malfunctioning portion of the code results in a failure to complete a mission critical transaction. Thus, in many cases, information technology management is responsible for distributing application component upgrades and modifications.

  In many situations, application component distribution involves multiple fanout servers located throughout the world. Through this network of fan-out servers, application component updates and patches can be distributed at a pace required by the level of urgency associated with application component deployment. If there is little urgency to distribute updates or patches, application component updates can be distributed over time. In contrast, if the introduction of a patch or update is considered essential, the converse is true.

  When faced with the urgency to deploy one or more application component updates or patches, the application component infrastructure may not be able to accommodate the simultaneous deployment of updates and patches to all recipients. Thus, a selection must often be made as to which clients should receive patches or updates and which clients should wait. Traditionally, these selections are made randomly or manually. For smaller companies, the best choice can be estimated manually. However, for larger enterprises, it is not possible for information technology managers to properly identify clients that require immediate updates and clients for which delays in receiving updates or patches are not at all important.

  In the new era of computing, a trend has arisen in the assembly and management of computing systems. Specifically, autonomic computing today represents a leading strategy for creating and managing enterprise-level computing systems and represents a major challenge in computer science. In the famous manifesto "Autonomous Computing: IBM's Perspective on the State of Information Technology", Paul Law, Senior Vice President of IBM Research, It's not about keeping pace with Moores' Law), but about dealing with the consequences of its many years of control. " Given this finding, Horn suggested computing similar to the autonomic nervous system of biological science. That is, a person's autonomic nervous system responds to conditions that are monitored, coordinated, repaired and changed without conscious effort on the part of the person, whereas in an autonomous computing system, the system Must respond to self-regulation, self-healing and changing conditions without requiring any conscious effort on the part of the operating system operator.

  Thus, while the autonomic nervous system can free people from the burden of dealing with complexity, an autonomic computing system can do the same. Rather, the computing system itself can be responsible for dealing with its own complexity. The core of the IBM manifest relates to the following eight main characteristics of an autonomous computing system:

  I. The system must include system components that know themselves and also have a system identity.

  II. The system must be able to configure and reconfigure itself under changing and unpredictable conditions.

  III. The system should never be amused by the status quo, and the system must always look for ways to optimize its work.

  IV. The system must be self-healing and must be able to recover from routine and abnormal events that may cause any of its parts to malfunction.

  V. The system must be familiar with self-defense.

  VI. The system knows its environment and the circumstances surrounding its activities and must operate accordingly.

  VII. The system must comply with open standards.

  VIII. The system must anticipate the required optimized resources while keeping its complexity hidden from the user.

  Quite clearly, the traditional way of introducing updates and patches in application component distribution is far from the eight tenants of autonomous computing.

  The present invention addresses a technical deficiency related to application component distribution and, in various embodiments, a novel and non-obvious method for application component distribution that is prioritized based on its impact on the computing process. , Providing a system and apparatus. An application component distribution system configured in accordance with the present invention can include a resource management system configured to operate a client computing device coupled by communication over a computer communication network. A data store may be arranged to store priority setting data that specifies which of the client computing devices will initially receive the distribution of the specified application component. Finally, the selective deployment processor can be programmed to selectively deploy application components to the client computing device based on the priority setting data.

  Prioritization data is applied to which of the client computing devices is designated by the application component based on its respective association with the significant one of the computing processes operating in the computer communications network. You can specify whether you want to receive the first distribution. In this regard, rule-based selection to implement prioritization data in the data store based on the behavior of the computing process and the application of prioritization rules to relevant ones of the client computing devices A processor may be configured. Instead, an autonomous selection processor to implement prioritization data in the data store based on the autonomously obtained information about the operation of the computing process and related ones of the client computing devices Can be configured.

  A method for distribution of prioritized application components includes a client computing device based on prioritization determined according to an association between the client computing device and a selected computing process. Introducing an application component into the set. Preferably, the selected computing process may be a critical business process, although the invention is not limited in this regard. In addition, in a preferred aspect of the invention, the association can be the involvement of a client computing device in a critical business process.

  In particular, the priority setting can be manually determined by a rule-based method or an autonomous method. In this regard, the method of the present invention may include creating a rule for establishing a priority setting and processing the rule to establish a priority setting. Instead, the method of the present invention determines the operation of the computing process, determining which of the computing processes is critical based on the observing step, and determining that it is critical. Prioritizing a client computing device associated with the computing process being performed.

  Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspects of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.

  The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. While the embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

  The present invention provides a method, system and apparatus for selectively deploying application components to a client computing device based on client involvement in a critical computing process. In accordance with the present invention, a critical computing process can be associated with a corresponding set of one or more client computing devices. This association can be established autonomously, for example, by manual application of the association, by execution of manually established rules, or by observing the operation of critical computing processes. In any case, if it is determined that an application component should be installed, the critical computing process can be identified and the identified critical computing process Those client computing devices associated with the may be selected to receive the installation prior to others of the client computing devices.

  In a further illustration of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of application component distribution configured for prioritized component distribution. The system of FIG. 1 may include a resource management system 110 configured to communicatively couple with one or more client computing devices 120A, 120B, 120n over a data communication network 140. Client computing devices 120A, 120B, 120n can host computing logic and utilize some of the resources of a personal computer, server computer, handheld computer or larger computing entity. Any logic processing device can be included, such as a virtual computer managed in this manner. In this regard, client computing devices 120A, 120B, 120n may be configured to host the operation of application components.

  Resource management system 110 may be programmed to manage the operation of resources for one or more data communication networks, including data communication network 140. Resources may include hardware resources such as database storage, physical and virtual memory, and communication bandwidth. In addition, the resources may include computing applications that operate with respect to the data communication network 140. To that end, the resource management system 110 is in the client computing device 120A, 120B, 120n in response to a maintenance event detected in the data communication network 140 and queued in the event queue 190 for consideration. Maintain responsibility for updating and patching operational application components.

  Significantly, the resource management system 110 may include a selective installation processor 180 and a set of priority setting data 150 for use by the selective installation processor 180. Specifically, the priority setting data 150 may include information for determining when any of the client computing devices 120A, 120B, 120n receives an application component installation. More specifically, the priority setting data 150 can specify a priority for application component deployment, and based on this priority, the selective deployment processor 180 can specify the client computing device 120A. , 120B, 120n may first receive the installation of the application component prior to the others of the client computing devices 120A, 120B, 120n.

  Prioritization data 150 may be collected based on any number of methods, including manual methods, automated rule-based methods, and autonomous methods. For the manual method, the operator has a suitable priority to indicate which of the client computing devices 120A, 120B, 120n receives a prioritized installation of one or more application components. Records can be manually inserted into the degree setting data 150. For the latter two methods, either or both of the rule-based selection processor and the autonomous selection processor 170 may be coupled to the priority setting data 150.

  The rule-based selection processor 160 is prioritized when deploying one or more application components or updates to the one or more application components of the client computing devices 120A, 120B, 120n. Can be programmed with rules to specify what will receive the processed. Specifically, these rules are computing processes 130A, 130B, 130n that have been determined to be important computing processes with one or more of the client computing devices 120A, 120B, 120n. Based on one or more of the associations. In this regard, each of the computing processes 130A, 130B, 130n may be a business process as is known in the art. Accordingly, involvement or dependency by one or more client computing devices 120A, 120B, 120n in one or more designated computing processes 130A, 130B, 130n that are known to be important are Prioritization of application component deployment to a particular client computing device 120A can be justified

  Unlike the rule-based selection processor 160, the autonomous selection processor 170 controls the operation of the client computing device 120A, 120B, 120n with each of one or more of the computing processes 130A, 130B, 130n. It can be observed in relation to the interaction. The autonomous selection processor 170 further formulates a dynamic and continuous decision as to which of the computing processes 130A, 130B, 130n is more important if not inherently critical. The computing processes 130A, 130B, 130n can be monitored. Using this information, each of the client computing devices 120A, 120B, 120n allows each client computing device 120A, 120B, 120n to have one or more “key” computing processes 130A, 130B. , 130n, priority processing can be received to receive application component installations.

  Referring now to FIG. 2, a flow diagram illustrating a process for prioritizing the distribution of application components to client computing processes in the system of FIG. 1 is shown. Beginning at block 210, an installation condition is detected, and an event may be retrieved from the event queue indicating, for example, the need to install an upgrade or upgrade to a distributed application through the distribution of one or more application components. At block 220, the deployed application component or components may be placed in fixed storage (whether local or remote) and prepared for distribution around the data communications network.

  At block 230, the targeted client computing device that receives the application component may be determined. At block 240, priority setting data may be determined for the subject client computing device. Thereafter, at block 250, the one or more application components are transferred to a client computing device that enjoys a higher priority than others of the client computing devices determined to be subject to installation conditions. Can be introduced. If, at decision block 260, deployment to the prioritized client computing device has been completed, at block 270, the one or more application components are targeted to the client computing device in question. Can be distributed arbitrarily to the rest of the devices. In any case, in very large distributions, it is described herein to continually ensure that higher priority devices receive early adoption than lower priority devices. It is important to note that the priority setting process can be repeated several times.

  The present invention can be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The implementation of the method and system of the present invention can be implemented in a centralized manner in one computer system or in a distributed manner in which various elements are distributed across several interconnected computer systems. Any type of computer system or other apparatus adapted to perform the methods described herein is suitable for performing the functions described herein.

  A typical combination of hardware and software can be a general purpose computer system comprising a computer program that, when loaded and executed, performs the methods described herein as a computer. Control the computer system to run. The present invention can also be embedded in a computer program product that includes all features that enable the implementation of the methods described herein and when loaded into a computer system. These methods can be performed.

  A computer program or application in the current context allows a system with information processing capabilities to either directly convert certain functions or a) conversion to another language, code or notation, b) different material Any representation in any language, code or notation of a set of instructions intended to be executed after either or both of the duplications in the form. Importantly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of the invention, as such, indicating the scope of the invention Reference should be made to the appended claims rather than to the detailed description above.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of application component distribution configured for prioritized component distribution in accordance with a preferred aspect of the present invention. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for prioritizing distribution of application components to client computing processes in the system of FIG.

Claims (7)

An application component distribution system,
A resource management system configured to manage client computing devices communicatively coupled over a computer communications network;
A data store arranged to store priority setting data specifying which of the client computing devices will initially receive the distribution of the specified application component;
An event queue coupled to the resource management system and configured to queue an install event indicating the need to deploy a distributed application extension or modification by distribution of one or more application components;
A selective installation processor programmed to selectively install the one or more application components on the client computing device based on the priority setting data in response to the installation event ;
Applying prioritization rules to the operation of computing processes operating in the computer communications network and related ones of the client computing devices to the important ones of the computing processes Depending on the respective participation of the client computing device, it specifies which of the client computing devices will initially receive the distribution of the specified application component, and the priority setting data An application component distribution system comprising: a rule-based selection processor configured to set a data store in the data store.   Autonomy configured to set priority setting data in the data store based on the autonomously obtained information regarding the operation of the computing process and related ones of the client computing devices The system of claim 1, further comprising a type selection processor. Prioritized application component distribution that runs on an application component distribution system, including a resource management system configured to manage client computing devices that are communicatively coupled over a computer communication network A method for
Applying prioritization rules to the operation of computing processes operating in the computer communications network and related ones of the client computing devices to the important ones of the computing processes Depending on the respective involvement of the client computing device, specify which of the client computing devices will receive the distribution of the specified application component first, and set priority setting data・ Steps to set in the store,
Retrieving events from the event queue;
Determining that the event is an introduction event indicating that a distribution application extension or modification needs to be introduced by distribution of one or more application components;
Installing the one or more application components on the set of client computing devices based on the priority setting data in response to determining that the event is the installation event . The method of claim 3 , further comprising autonomously determining the priority setting. The step of autonomously determining the priority setting comprises:
Observing the operation of the computing process;
Determining which of the computing processes are critical based on the observing steps;
The client computing device associated with a computing process that is determined to be critical and a step of setting priority The method of claim 4. Machine-readable storing a computer program for implementing an application component distribution system, including a resource management system configured to manage client computing devices coupled by communication over a computer communication network Storage, wherein the computer program is executed by a machine;
Applying prioritization rules to the operation of computing processes operating in the computer communications network and related ones of the client computing devices to the important ones of the computing processes Depending on the respective involvement of the client computing device, specify which of the client computing devices will receive the distribution of the specified application component first, and set priority setting data・ Steps to set in the store,
Retrieving events from the event queue;
Determining that the event is an introduction event indicating that a distribution application extension or modification needs to be introduced by distribution of one or more application components;
In response to determining that the event is the installation event, causing the machine to perform the step of introducing the one or more application components to a set of client computing devices based on the priority setting data Machine-readable storage that contains a routine set of instructions. A computer program for causing a computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 3 to 5 when loaded and executed in a computer system.

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